Harcourt Hill, Campus Development Plan

Harcourt Hill, Campus Development Plan May 2008 West Waddy ADP The Malthouse 60 East St Helen Street Abingdon Oxfordshire OX14 5EB t: 01235 523139 f: 01235 521662 e: [email protected] OUW: Harcourt Hill, Campus Development Plan for Oxford Brookes University May 2008 Signature Prepared by: Alex Cochrane Signature Checked by: John Ashton © West Waddy ADP This document has been prepared in accordance with West Waddy ADP’s quality control procedures and should be treated as a draft unless it has been signed and approved. The document should not be used for any other purpose than that for which it has been prepared without the written authority of West Waddy ADP. If the document is used for another purpose without consent, then no responsibility or liability for the consequences arising for such action will be accepted by West Waddy ADP. i Foreward This document sets out the rationale and design proposals of the Campus Background to the Campus Development Plan Development Plan for Oxford Brookes University’s Harcourt Hill Campus. The In November 2007 a document for Oxford Brookes University entitled ‘Campus Campus is the location of the Westminster Institute of Education, which was Analysis and Options’ was prepared. A full copy of the document is to be found incorporated into Oxford Brookes University in 2000. in the Supporting Documentation. The document sets out a series of analytical drawings showing the physical conditions of the Harcourt Hill Campus, followed The Campus Development Plan is required by planning policy to provide by two possible development options. The intention was to settle on physical contextual information about the University’s intentions for long-term physical development concepts for the campus, which would form the basis of the change on the site, to establish an agreed context within which individual Campus Development Plan. This would then be submitted for endorsement by planning applications can come forward. the Vale of the White Horse District Council. The plan sets out In the same month, West Waddy ADP were commissioned by the University • the location of the main activities on the campus to take the necessary steps to seek endorsement of a Campus Development • the location and character of circulation routes for pedestrians, cyclists, Plan, based on the work already produced. The initial advice given was that the buses and cars Development Options would need to be taken through two key stages before submission would be appropriate, these being • the locations of landmark buildings and protected or composed views • the location and character of the key outdoor spaces • consultation on both analysis and development options, and • maximum building heights • a screening for potential further strategic appraisal work that may be • development capacity (expressed in gross internal fl oor space) necessary. • the location of parking spaces This document summarises the outputs of these stages, and brings together • a landscape framework for the site the results along with the initial development options to settle on and provide a The plan shows indicative building footprints, though these are intended for rationale for the preferred Campus Development Plan. illustrative purposes only to communicate the intended nature of the spaces This document is being submitted to the Vale of the White Horse District Council between the buildings. The Plan does not suggest any specifi c architectural style for endorsement. Further information pertaining to the wider environmental or form, but considers high quality contemporary architecture to be most suited studies, consultation outputs and the initial work is contained in the Supporting to the site. Documentation. ii 1 Introduction 1 5 Opportunities and Constraints 19 1.1 Introducing the Site 2 5.1 The Vision 20 2 Background Information 5 6 Campus Development Plan 23 2.2 Strategic Aims 6 6.1 Campus Development Plan 24 2.3 Planning Policy Context 6 6.2 Landscape Framework 24 2.4 The Scope of the Commission 6 6.3 Assessment of Impact upon Trees 25 2.5 Consultation 6 6.4 Accomodation and Phasing of Whole Site 28 2.6 Strategic Appraisal 7 2.7 Production of Campus Development Plan 7 Supporting Documentation (bound separately) 3 Site Appraisal 8 3.1 Site Analysis 10 3.2 Landscape Assessment 10 3.3 Visual Assessment 11 3.4 Tree Survey 12 3.5 Sustainability Statement 12 4 Consultation 15 4.1 The Consultation Process 16 Contents iii 1 Introduction 1.1 Introducing the Site and west of the wooded escarpment. Parts of the campus are visible from the Oxford Brookes University’s Harcourt Hill Campus is the home of the surrounding landscape and from Oxford city centre, where the Chapel spire Westminster Institute of Education. The original Westminster College, founded in forms a part of the landscape setting of the city. 1851, was relocated from London to its current site in Oxford in the 1950’s. The The A34 trunk road, which forms part of the Oxford Ring Road, runs along the College was incorporated into Oxford Brookes University in 2000, forming the foot of the ridge, to the north east of the campus. The site is approached via Westminster Institute of Education. Harcourt Hill Road, which leads off both the A34, and the A420 between Oxford Harcourt Hill is a wooded ridge rising up from the Thames Valley fl oodplain and and Swindon. lying approximately 2.5 km south-west of the city centre of Oxford. To the north A concise history of the campus along with a précis of the accommodation on and west are the built-up areas of Botley and Cumnor Hill respectively, and to site and a photographic survey is contained in the Supporting Documentation. the south is Boars Hill. The Campus lies at the top of the ridge, to the south 2 N 1 Introduction OXFORD A420 BOTLEY OSNEY PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT GRANDPONT CUMNOR HILL A34 HARCOURT HILL CAMPUS Fig 1. Harcourt Hill Campus and the Surrounding Area OUW: Harcourt Hill, Campus Development Plan 3 2 Background Information 2.1 Strategic Aims Partial rather than complete redevelopment would be permitted. New buildings Oxford Brookes University is undertaking a £110 million improvement of its should not estate over the course of the next 10-15 years. This programme is key to the • exceed the height of existing buildings University’s strategic aim to become one of the best universities in the UK. • lead to a major increase in the developed proportion of the site The University is aware that much of the accommodation on the Harcourt Hill • occupy a larger area of the site than the existing buildings (unless this Campus is below standard as teaching space or as residential accommodation, would achieve a reduction in height, which would benefi t visual amenity) is ineffi ciently laid out and has high running costs. For this reason, many of the • have an adverse impact on the landscape buildings on the campus are in need of either modernisation or replacement. Further details of the planning context of the site are contained in the Supporting The incremental growth that has occurred on the Campus since its original Documentation. development in the 1950’s has resulted in an unattractive and illegible campus environment, with poor quality spaces between the buildings. This belies the 2.3 The Scope of the Commission attractiveness and architectural composure of the original Westminster College In the November 2007 document two development options, based on a physical buildings, which still remain at its core, as well as its characteristic and high analysis of the site and an appraisal of client requirements, were produced. quality landscape setting. These two development options are shown in fi gures 2 and 3. Full details of the analysis and development of the options are contained in the Supporting In order for the University to take full advantage of the Harcourt Hill campus as Documentation. one of its key assets, physical improvement of both the accommodation and external environment on the campus is required. West Waddy ADP were asked by the University to coordinate a process that would result in the submission of a preferred Campus Development Plan, based 2.2 Planning Policy Context on the earlier options. The initial advice from West Waddy ADP was that a critical The most signifi cant planning policy issue affecting Harcourt Hill Campus is its path of processes must be undertaken in order to be in a position to put forward designation as a Major Developed Site in the Green Belt in the Vale of White such a Plan. Horse Local Plan (2011). Redevelopment of the campus should have no greater impact than the existing development on the openness of the Green Belt. Any 2.4 Consultation redevelopment should be consistent with appropriate comprehensive long term A two-stage consultation process was designed to accord with the Vale of the plans for the site, which contribute to the achievement of the objectives for the White Horse District Council Statement of Community Involvement. use of land in Green Belts. The fi rst stage set out the strategic goals for improvement at the campus, and The Local Plan Green Belt Policy allows the University to cater for an increase in offered the two development options as ‘models’ for taking physical change on student numbers and enable the modernisation and improvement of the facilities. the site forward. The emphasis of the fi rst event was on the general physical approach rather than detailed plans. The earlier options showed basic land use, general building height and major constraints on development. It was held internally for staff and students. The consultation exercise generated comments on the two models and identifi ed a preferred model of the two.

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